Two section folding cabinet table top



Aug. 28, 1951 w. A. SNYDER TWO SECTION FOLDING CABINET TABLE TOP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 23, 1949 INVENTOR.

I JTrroRA/Ey.

Patented Aug. 28, 1951 TWO SECTION FOLDING CABINET TABLE TOP William A. Snyder, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor of one-half to Lottie M. Snyder Application May 23, 1949, Serial No. 94,859

"1 Claims.

My invention relates t folding c-abinettables and has for its principal objects, to provide an article of furniture which conveniently combines a cabinet and folding table, the latter, while not in use, occupying a position wholly within said cabinet and constructed so as to be readily unfolded and shifted into position for use directly in front of the cabinet; and further, to provide the folding table with legs and simple, effective means for shifting said legs into and out of service and t latch same against accidental release or collapse while in table supporting position.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of part which will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the cabinet open and the tableunfolded and positioned for use,

Fig. 1A is a plan view of a modified form of the cabinet and table,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cabinet in closed position with parts broken away,

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the cabinet in open position and showing a modified form of the folding table,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch for holding th table when folded into the cabinet,

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken approximately on the line 66 of Fig. 1,

Fig. '7 is a section' taken approximately on the line I -l of Fig. 1 and showing the table legs, leg braces and actuating means in their folded outof-service positions,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6,

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 6 and looking against the under face of the outer member of the table top,

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of One of the members of the table leg actuating and latching means.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment ofmy invention, l0 designates a substantially rectangular housing having hinged front doors II, thus forming the base member of the cabinet and also providing a storage space of considerable area.

Surmounting bas II], is a shallow rectangular housing l2, having hinged front doors 53, thus providing an upper cabinet member which houses the folding table when same is out of service.

A narrow panel I4 is connected by hinges E5 to the top of base IEI below doors l3 and projecting up from the top of this panel is a strip l6 which provides a stop to limit the closing movement of said doors. When th table is unfolded for use, this panel is swung outward onto the top of base If) as seen in Fig. 6.

Connected by hinges IT to the lower portion of the inner face of the rear wall of housing I2 is a substantially rectangular panel it which forms the rear or inner member of the table top.

Connected by hinges l9 to a transverse panel 20, on top of the rear portion of base If], is a rail 2 l, to the ends of which are secured the rear ends of spaced parallel rails 22 which serve as guides and supports for sliding rails 23 secured to the under face of the sliding outer member 24 of the table top. A rail 25 secured to the under face of table top member 24 between the ends of rails 23, combine with the latter in forming an apron on the sides and front of said top member 2 Metal clips or keepers 26 secured to the under faces of rails 23, extend beneath rails 22, thus maintaining the top member 24 in sliding engagement with hinged rails 22 (see Fig. 1). Connected by hinges 21 to the under side of top member 24, in the corners formed by apron rails 23 and 25, are legs 28 and pivoted thereto a short distance below said hinges, are the ends of a substantially V-shaped leg bracing member 29.

The apex of member 29 is curved upward as designated by 30 and includes a short transverse member 3| which passes through a notch 32, formed in a short rail 33 that is secured to the under face of the sliding top 24 and leading from said notch 32 toward the rear end of said rail, is a slot 35, into which member 3i passes when the legs 28 are folded against the underside of top member 24. Arranged for sliding movement on the side of rail 33 is a latch plate 36, provided with a lateral handl 31 at its rear or outer end and formed in said plate are short longitudinally disposed slots 38, through which pass pins or bolts 39, seated in said rail. A retractile spring 40 connects plate 36 with rail 33 and normally holds said plate at the limit of its movement toward the outer end of top member 24.

Formed in the top of plate 36 is a notch M which normally registers with notch 32 in rail 33. The rear edge of this notch is inclined to form a wedge cam 42 which, when plate 38 is drawn toward the front end of table top 24, bears on 3 transverse member 3| of brace 29, to force same out of notch 32, and enabling it to enter and traverse slot 35, which action takes place when the legs 28 are folded against the under face of top member 24.

When the table is open for use, the straight shoulder at the end of notch 32 opposite cam 42, under tension of spring 40 grips member 3| against the shoulder at the rear end of notch 32, thus in effect, latching the legs against collapse While in upright table supporting position.

When the table is folded into housing l2, it occupies the position as shown in Fig. 5, with member 18, vertically disposed between member 24 and rear wall of housing I2 and with legs 28 positioned against said member 24. The entire folded assembly is maintained in its compact folded position by a keeper K pivoted on the right hand side wall of housing I2, and which extends over the adjacent edge of table top member 24 (see Fig.4).

To position the table top for use, cabinet doors I3 are opened, panel 15 is swung outward into horizontal position on top of base housing If), latch K is released and table top member 24 and parts carried thereby together with hinged frame comprising rails 23 and 25, are now swung outward and downward into horizontal position as seen in Fig. 6.

During this movement the frame comprising rails 2i and 22 swings with the outer table top member 24 and after the parts are in horizontal position, said member 2 and its frame, rails 23 and 24 are drawn outwardly on rails 22, hinged at their rear ends to panel 20.

Legs 28 are now swung downward and outward, thereby drawing brace 28 outward and in so doing, transverse member 3| will slide outward through slot 35 and finally drop into notches 3'2 and 4!, to be gripped therein by latch plate 35, the latter being manually manipulated lengthwise to enable member 3! to drop into said notches.

Thus the legs '28 are latched while in vertical table top supporting position.

To complete the table top, member I8 is now swung outward and downward so as to rest on frame members 2! and '22 in horizontal align= ment with outer top member 2 1 (see Fig. 6).

A reversal of the operations just described restores the table top members and associated parts to their out-of-service positions within upper cabinet member i2 as seen in Fig. 5.

If desired, the rear or inner table top mem-- ber Ill, instead of being hinged to th rear wall 1 of cabinet member 2, may be connected by hinges ila to the rear edge of the outer top mem ber 24 as seen in Fig. 3.

In Fig. 1A, I have shown upright housings 45, located to the sides of upper and lower housings lo and i2, said upright housings containing hinged or pivoted panels 4% adapted to be swung outward and downward into positions to the sides of the table top members i8 and 24, thus providing, in effect, bench seats for persons using the table.

These panels may also be used as ironing boards.

Thus, it will be seen that I have provided a folding cabinet table of simple, compact, structure, capable of being readily folded and unfolded, which occupies very little floor space when folded and closed, and is very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended.

Minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved folding cabinet table may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a folding cabinet table, a cabinet, a frame hinged at its rear end within said cabinet, an outer table top member mounted to slide on said hinged frame and a one piece inner table top member having its rear end hinged within said cabinet above the hinged rear end of said frame and foldable into position to the rear of said table top member when same is swung into said cabinet.

2. The folding cabinet table as set forth in claim 1, with legs hinged beneath the outer end portion of said outer table top member.

3. Ine folding cabinet table as set forth in claim 1, with legs hinged bene th the outer end portion of said outer table top member and a brace between said legs and said outer table top member.

4. The folding cabinet table as set forth in claim 1, with legs hinged beneath the outer end portion of said outer table top member, a-brace between said legs and said outer table top member and brace latching means on the under side of said outer table top member.

In a folding table, a cabinet, a frame hinged at its rear end within said cabinet, an outer table top member mounted to slide on said hinged frame when the latter is withdrawing from the cabinet and a one piec inner table top member foldable into said cabinet and adapted to swing downward so as to occupy a horizontal position between said cabinet and the rear end of said outer table top member when same is withdrawn from the cabinet.

6. The folding cabinet table as set forth in claim 5, with folding legs for said outer table top member.

'7. The folding cabinet table as set forth in claim 5 with folding legs for said outer table top member and means for latching said legs in table top supporting position.

WILLIAM A. ISNYDER- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 925,397 Snyder June 15, 1909 960,594 Snyder June 7, 1910 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 604,453 Great Britain July 5, 1948 

